THE IMPACT OF BROKEN MARRIAGE ON THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN IN VANDEIKYA LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF BENUE STATE.

BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The oxford advanced learner dictionary (6th edition) defines marriage as the legal relationship between a husband and wife. In general however, the term marriage refers to the arrangements including the ceremonies, which a society approvers for a man and a woman to come together and form a family

Jooji (2004) sees marriage as a covenant between a man and woman, built on a foundation of love that establishes the in partnership or for life. It is a formal and legally recognized agreement between a man and a woman making them husband and wife. It entails the couple leaving their parents home to set up a home of their own usually with the am of procreating, nurturing and educating children of their own. This has scripture backing in genesis 2.24 which says, this is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, and they become one body “marriage therefore become a magnificent and sacred undertaking, bearing God’s benediction in the structure that God indented it to be.

Owing to this divine design, the issue of marriage breakup does not hold waters. Very often than not, such marriages never see the light of the day. In our society, the beauty and greatness of marriage as a prison; a conventional, boring, legal matter that threatens love and destroys freedom (Hildebrand, 1991). Most couples now prefer separation than staying in love that binds their marriages. This however, undermines the true of the institution. The break in marriage has become desired on health of the children. According to WHO (1948) health is the complete state of physical, social, mental well-being and not merely the complete state of disease or infirmity.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Since a broken marriage is not the design of God for man, break in marriages cannot go without serious problems. It affect both the couple and the children they have. Camera and Rudnick (2004) affirmed that, even three years after the separation of the parents, there was significant deference in social behaviors among groups. Children from divorced families showed the highest levels of aggression and behavioral problems and the lowest level of pro-social behavior and general self-esteem.

It is also observed by the researcher that marriage couples who are separated in Vandeikya Local government also experience similar social and mental problems. Marriages in Vandeikya local government are easily broken with the attendant consequences on the children, which range from social, psychological, economic and health of the children. In view of the above, the researcher deems it worthwhile to investigate the impact of broken marriage on the health of children in Vandeikya Local Government of Benue State.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of broken marriage on the health of children in vandeikya local government of Benue State. To be specific, the study intends to:
i. Determine the impact of broken marriage on social well-being of children in vandeikya local government.
ii. Examine the impact of broken marriages on psychological well-being of children in vandeikya local government.
iii. Find out the impact of broken marriage on economic well-being of children in vandeikya local government.
iv. Determine the impact of broken marriage on health of children in Vandeikya Local Government.
v. Ameliorate the menace of broken marriage.